Chicken & Veggie Marinara Casserole with Whole Wheat Orzo

So, it's Friday & I haven't posted a single recipe from this week's menu. Monday we ended up spending the day at my in-laws cottage on what was supposed to be the hottest day yet this summer. It only ended up being in the high 70's, but the pool still felt great & of course the boys had fun. We stayed there through dinner & I noshed on grilled chicken, peas & carrots & grilled peaches with blueberries. Not exactly what I had planned to cook at home, but the time spent with grandparents was worth it!

My husband was out of town from Monday until midnight Tuesday & frankly I didn't have the energy left in me to make dinner after a long weekend, a long Monday & swim lessons after dinner Tuesday. We ended up picking up a yummy salad for me & a chicken quesadilla for the boys from a local restaurant. You do watchya gotta do sometimes!

I did actually make the turkey burgers last night, but they weren't as good as I hoped & I don't believe I should share a so-so recipe here. I'll keep searching for a tastier recipe.

Now last night's dinner was delicious! I can't wait until we have an over-abundance of zucchini & yellow squash in our garden, because I'll definitely make this again. It's super simple, full of vegetables & I bet it could be prepped in the morning, other than pour on the the sauce & sprinkling on the cheese.

Recipe

Serves 6

• 2 1/2 cups Chicken, cooked & diced
• 1 Zucchini, diced
• 1 Yellow Squash, diced
• 1 - 12 oz. can Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Dried Basil

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Layer the chicken in the bottom of a casserole dish. Next, pour in zucchini & yellow squash.
• Pour the tomato sauce & top with cheese.
• Sprinkle on the oregano & basil.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until the cheese is golden.
• Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package.
• Serve casserole on top of orzo & enjoy!

21DF: 1 Red, 1-1/2 Green, 1/2 Blue, 1 Yellow

White Balsamic Citrus Basil Chicken with Grilled Asparagus & Red Potato Kebabs

Last summer I was shopping at Costco & came across a dressing/marinade that intrigued me; White Balsamic Citrus Basil. It sounded like my favorite flavors in a bottle! I love anything balsamic & white balsamic vinegar is a little lighter. Basil is hands down my favorite herb (with cilantro being a close second) & citrus always adds a fresh kick to a meal. I left with one bottle, and after drizzling it over salads & marinating chicken in it, I was hooked!

Sadly, when I went back, Costco was out of stock with no shipments in the foreseeable future. That's the only downside to Costco & the fact that it's like a giant Target. You go in for dressing & come home with $150 of food you had to have because the sample was so good! I searched on Amazon (those of you with Prime know what I'm talking about!) & did a general Google search with no results.

This Spring Costco decided to carry it again (yay!), so I bought a couple bottles. Well, it wasn't until I was on the 21 Day Fix did I realize that cane sugar syrup is the second ingredient. Eeek! I knew I had to replicate my own version of this dressing. So after a little time in the kitchen playing scientist, I came up with a recipe that my husband agrees is similar (if not better, he says) than the original.

Recipe

Serves 4

Chicken:

• 1 pound Chicken Breasts, cut thin
• 3/4 cup Water
• 1 Tbsp Dried Basil
• 2 tsp Avocado Oil
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 large Shallot, chopped
• 1/8 tsp Garlic Powder

Asparagus & Red Potatoes:

• 16 Baby Red Potatoes, halved
• 40 Asparagus Stalks, rinsed & cut into 2" pieces
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Directions

• Combine all ingredients, except chicken breast, in a bowl & whisk well until the honey is dissolved.
• Place chicken in a zip top bag & add marinade. Seal bag & refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
• Soak bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes. Skewer the red potato halves & microwave for 4 minutes. Flip & microwave for another 4 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil & season with salt & pepper.
• Fire up the grill to medium-high heat. Place chicken on grill & cook for 6 minutes. Flip & continue to grill for 5 more minutes.  
• At the same time place asparagus pieces in a grill basket, drizzle with olive oil & season with salt & pepper. Grill the potato kebabs for a few minutes and flip. Continue grilling for 3 or 4 more minutes. The chicken & vegetables should all be done at the same time.
• Remove from grill & serve.
• Enjoy!

21DF: 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow, 1 Orange & 1 teaspoon 

Apricot-Basil Chicken with Freekeh & Zoodles

I love adding new elements to a dish, such as a different grain. I always feel that in order to have a complete dinner there should be some protein, a vegetable or two, and a grain. I try to mix it up; sometimes we'll have a side of whole wheat pasta, Israeli couscous, or bulgar. When I saw this recipe with Freekeh (pronounced free-ka, not free-key as I prefer), I had to give it a try!

Freekeh are grains that are harvested while they're still young, which allows them to contain more protein, vitamins & minerals than the same mature grain. It is low GI, low carb, high in fiber (up to 4 times the fiber of brown rice) & rich in prebiotic properties. Freekeh would be a great choice for individuals managing diabetes.

So now that you've learned a little more about Freekah, let's check out this recipe that boasts a sweet sauce:

Recipe (adapted from Cooking Light magazine, May 2015)

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
• 1 cup freekeh
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 4 (4-ounce) skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions

• Combine 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup stock, freekeh, 3/8 teaspoon salt, & 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover & reduce heat to medium & simmer 18 minutes or until tender.
• Combine remaining 1/4 cup stock, wine, & apricots in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle chicken with remaining salt & pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 7 minutes or until done, turning once. Add apricot mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes. Stir in butter; remove from heat.
• Place 2/3 cup freekeh on each plate. Top each serving with with 1 chicken breast; divide sauce evenly among servings & sprinkle with basil.
• I served ours with zoodles sauteed in olive oil and garlic.  

21DF - 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow, 1/4 Purple, 1 teaspoon